Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Euphorbia milii Desmoul.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Erosxe2x80x99.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia milii plant, botanically known as Euphorbia milii Desmoul, commonly known by the name Crown of Thorns, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Erosxe2x80x99.
The new Euphorbia milii is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor, Steen Thomsen, in Haarslev, Fyn, Denmark. The new Euphorbia milii originated from a cross made in 2001 by the Inventor with unnamed cultivars of Euphorbia milii Desmoul. The male and female parental cultivars are unnamed, unpatented seedlings of Euphorbia milii Desmoul. The Inventor selected the new Euphorbia milii cultivar as a single plant from the progeny of the above cross in 2001 on the basis of flower and compact, freely branching habit. Plants of the new Euphorbia milii are upright, compact and have a unique color and abundant, medium sized flowers.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken and propagated and trial production batches at Hjortebjerg Nurseries, Denmark, has shown that the unique features of this new Euphorbia milii are stable and reproduced true to type in many successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Erosxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Erosxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Bright red floral bract color from R.H.S. 42B, to R.H.S. 45C.
2. Very dense and bushy plant form.
3. Moderately vigorous growth habit.
4. High number of flowers per plant borne on short green peduncles, R.H.S. 144A.
Plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Erosxe2x80x99 can be compared to plants of the cultivar Euphorbia milii xe2x80x98Themisxe2x80x99 (unpatented). In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Haarslev, Denmark, plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Erosxe2x80x99 and the cultivar xe2x80x98Themisxe2x80x99 differ in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Euphorbia milii have striking red color and staminate cyathia with red glands.
2. Plants of the new Euphorbia milii have larger dark green leaves than xe2x80x98Themisxe2x80x99.
3. Plants of the new Euphorbia milii have shorter and stiffer peduncles than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Themisxe2x80x99.
4. Plants of the new Euphorbia milii are more compact than the plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Themisxe2x80x99.
5. Plants of the new Euphorbia milii have more flowers per plant than the plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Themisxe2x80x99.
Plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Erosxe2x80x99 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, day length, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.